Ogobara K. Doumbo

Ogobara Doumbo (1 January 1956 – 9 June 2018) was a Malian medical researcher at the University of Mali. He was recognised as a global leader in malaria research. He was the recipient of the Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mali, Legion d'honneur and research award on Malaria in Africa.

Early life and education Doumbo grew up in a Dogon village. His father and grandfather were traditional African healers. He first rode in a car as a teenager, travelling 1,000 km to sit his secondary-school certification exams in Bandiagara. After graduating, he worked as a bush doctor in Sélingué, specialising in surgery. The centre was supported by the government of Mali, the National Institutes of Health, the Rockefeller Foundation and the World Health Organization. He established a grant-administration program, which has attracted significant funding and supported several generations of African researchers. He was on the health advisory board of Malaria No More and the Board of Directors of Muso Health. He was a member of the SESSTIM Unit at IRD/ Aix Marseille University.

Honours and awards Doumbo was the recipient of several awards recognising his contributions to malaria and tropical diseases.

1999 – Legion d'honneur

2008 – Princess of Asturias Awards

2008 – Elected to Académie Nationale de Médecine

2016 – International Fellow of American Society of Tropical Medicine